Almonds in Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream
by Andy1
Summary: Joe is caught red-handed in a Victoria's Secret-esque store, and now Davis, T.K., and co. are out for his head. Despite these horrible events, he decides to forget his problems by asking out Sora, the girl with a crush on Tai. But Tai on the other hand...
1. How it all began

Disclaimer: Yup, that's it. You know the drill. Digimon 02 is not mine. 'Nuff said. Well, R & R, please.

Almonds in Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream

by 

My sis, CrystalSablan aka Kristina, editor of my fics

Ch. 1: How it all began

"Joe, I got some good news, some bad news, and some more good news," Jim said slowly in the living room of his family's apartment.

"Awright, what is it?" Joe asked nonchalantly. He was a little bit annoyed that his brother would just pop in out of nowhere to say that right when he was getting to an interesting part in a novel he was reading.

"Okay, here we go. The good news is that dad and I bought a new dress for mom's birthday today."

"Ahhh, that's sweet," Joe sighed, covering up his surprise and relief; Jim and his dad always forgot what day his mom's birthday was. When they did, she would give them a piece of her mind, and Joe would get dragged into it. And, believe me, it wasn't pretty.

"The bad news is..." Jim muttered, his voice getting quieter, "...dad accidentally dropped it into an open gutter."

"OH, MY GOD!!!" Joe cried out in a miserable voice. He calmed down a little before asking, as calmly as possible, "Was it a nice dress?"

"Oh, yeah. One of those expensive Italian ones sold at fine clothes department stores." 

"OH, MY GOD!!!"

"Hey, but don't worry. Here's the extra good news: dad and I still have the receipt. It guarantees that the store will take it back if any damage had been done to the item the customer bought," Jim said, brightening up a little.

"Oh, thank God," Joe sighed, falling back into the comforts of the sofa on which he sat.

"You're right about that. Also, dad was able to fish the dress out of the sewers, and clean the darn thing as much as he could. So, here. You go and return it," Jim said, with just a hint of biting amusement, as he shoved the receipt, and the disgusting frock right in front of Joe's face.

"UGH, SICK."

On the city streets, Joe struggled to get to the store. He was pretty embarrassed that he had to go walking around, carrying a bag with slimy things dripping out of it now and then. He was more riled up about going to the store where the dress needed to be returned. It was one of those stores, for women, that sold many types of lovely suits, and gowns. And also where most men never dared to enter.

But that wasn't what got him all nervous. It was the lingerie section that did. The store he was going to was famous for it's lingerie section. And this particular section stretched from the entrance of the store all the way to the counter where customers bought their things. When he entered, the women inside might probably think he was a pervert or something. Or so he thought.

_Ah, freak_. _How the hell did dad, and Jim get out of there alive?_

As Joe stood outside the store, he was breathless. He thought about running for his life. It was only a third-minute "okay" that got him inside that damn femme store. Once inside, he walked as casually as he could. But failed. Because he could see the lingerie with his peripheral vision. What could he do? The section was only six inches away from him, and the garments seemed to be sticking out at him, saying "Look at me. Look at me, ya crummy bastard."

He tried focusing his attention on the decent clothes, but his eyes kept wandering back to the section of unmentionables. After all, he was a sixteen-year old boy for crying out loud. Sixteen-year olds are practically swimming with hormones.

_I'd sure like to see Mimi in that..._

"Ew, shut up, brain. That's disgusting," he scolded his wandering thoughts.

After a few seconds, Joe was getting so nervous that his hands were shaking. 

"C'mon, Joe. You can do this," he said to himself softly. "It's just a store for women, that's all - YOW!" he winced because blood suddenly spurted out of his nose. 

He had just finished wiping the blood away with his hand, when he saw the store employees rushing up to him.

_AAAAAAAAAAH, I'VE BEEN DISCOVERED_, his brain screamed at him.

"Congratulations, young man. You're our 10,000th customer," the two women cheered with extremely enthusiastic smiles on their faces.

"What!? Huh!?" Joe asked, confused.

"Oh, my God. Burke, honey, get the news reporter!" one of the employees yelled across the room.

"He's right here, darling," the guy named Burke called back.

"What!? News reporter!? No, please. Not that!" Joe panicked as he desperately tried to get away, but couldn't; the whole store was rushing to congratulate him, and news reporters were flooding him with lights, and cameras, and all that news-reporter junk. How could he get away?

"Here, hon. You've won a certificate for you and a friend to eat at Masami's Famous Ice Cream Parlor, a ten-thousand dollar shopping spree at the Cherry Blossom Shopping Center Mall, and one discount coupon to our store," Burke's so-called "darling" said as she handed him the certificates, and coupon.

"N-N-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ," he screamed as the crowd closed in on him.

Over at Tai's house, where Izzy, and Matt are crashing for the night...

"I'm bored. Matt, turn on the TV," Izzy ordered.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever, ya lousy bum," Matt joked around as he turned on the TV.

***

On the TV: 

News reporter lady: This is Megumi Shiga reporting live at the Victoria's Rumors store in downtown where it's 10,000th customer, a boy named Joe Kido, is receiving his reward.

Joe: No, this is all a big mistake.

***

"What the...!?" Izzy stuttered. "Th-that's Joe..."

"AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Izzy and Matt both cracked up. 

"AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! THE CRAZY BASTARD."

"HEY, TAI. TAI! WAKE UP. IT'S JOE!!!" Matt called to the direction of Tai's bedroom. Shouted, actually.

"Wh...wha-? I didn't invite him," he said as he went down the hallway, and into the living room where Matt and Izzy were.

"Joe, you've got some explainin' to do," Tai said in his impression of Ricky Ricardo. 

"Wha-?" he managed to say after his eyes met the TV. 

***

On the TV:

News reporter lady: Oh, this is such a momentous occasion. What do you have to 

say about it, Joe?

Joe: Uh...I don't know. I'm so confused.

Strange lady: Joe!?

Joe: Wha...what the..!? Mom!?

Joe's mom: Oh, Joe. I saw you on the news. I'm so proud of you. You came here to buy a birthday present for me, didn't you? 

Joe: No, wait. Mom, this is all a mista...

Joe's mom: You're the only one who's remembered my birthday this year. Oh, Joe, sweetie, I love you so much. When I get home I'm gonna give your father and

brother a piece of my mind. 

***

At Joe's house...

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

***

Joe woke up the next day to what he thought was the most depressing morning of his life. He was still really bummed about what happened last night. Right now, he just wanted to do something that would cheer him up. Maybe the Masami ice cream deal would do the trick. But, then again. There were some complications. For example, the public. He knew it wouldn't be long when his friends would be calling him about the absurd incident. Which, of course, didn't take very long...

Somewhere near noon, Joe heard the doorbell to his apartment ring. Thinking it was his brother, Jim, he went over to the front door and opened it only to be bombarded by Izzy, Matt, Tai, Davis, and T.K.

"Oh, geez, not right now, you guys," Joe complained. 

"No way, man. We're not gonna let you off on this one," Matt teased.

The five boys broke out laughing, while Joe just stood there with an anime sweat drop on his head.

"Joe, you've got some explainin' to do," Tai said. Again, the Ricky Ricardo impression.

"C'mon, you guys. I'm depressed as hell right now. I just want to lay back, relax, and do something fun to take me out of my deep sadness," Joe whined, sounding just like that goddamn sorceress Lina Inverse.

"Aw, Joe, cheer up," Izzy said, trying to comfort him. "It's not the end of the world, you know."

"No. It is. I'd rather be caught dead in a lady's store that sells all that sex crap," Davis commented.

"Ah, freak. Do you have to make it worse than it already is?" Joe said in a thick voice; he looked as if he was going to cry, or faint. 

"Just tell us what happened," T.K. said politely.

"No. Just forget about it," Joe said. Suddenly, he brightened up a little. "Remember I was given stuff for being a 10,000th customer? Well, I won this ice cream deal. Would any of you like to come? It would really cheer me..."

"Don't try to change the subject," Matt interrupted, getting impatient.

"Oh, man. I promise I'll tell you later. Right now, though..."

"Hey, did you hear that guys? Joey-boy's gonna tell us later!" Matt interrupted again. 

"Alright, alright!" everyone cheered as they left Joe all by himself before he could even get an answer out of any of them.

In the solitary confinements of his apartment, Joe sat on the sofa, feeling very bad about himself. He wanted to go to Masami's Famous Ice Cream Parlor, but he didn't want to go alone; he'd feel miserable than ever if he were to go alone. He wanted someone to be with him to make him forget about all the things that happened last night. As he stood up, something crossed his mind. 

Sora. Sora could go with him. It was better to go with her than to go with any of the guys because they'd just pester him all day about the femme store disaster. 

He then thought about how much he knew about her. Red eyes. Red-brown hair.

Caramel perhaps. Very sweet personality. 

They'd known each other for many years, and were still currently keeping in touch. But not as much as back then. He used to like her a lot. But most of the fondness had faded away because of the miniscule time they spent together in the present. He knew that she liked him, too. Not the kind of friend "like", but the "like" as in "that" way. She could express it, but she couldn't say it. The only thing that kept her from saying it to his face was her crush on Tai. He knew, without a doubt, that Sora had a crush on Tai. She was very faithful to him, and had been pining over him for the last couple of years. But Tai on the other hand...

_Alright, Sora it is,_ he thought as he dialed her phone number.

Right during the first ring, someone answered. 

"Hello?" an adult female voice asked over the phone. It was Sora's mom.

"Hello, Mrs. Takenouchi. This is Joe. May I please speak to Sora?"

"Uh, okay. I'll go get her."

A few seconds after she left, Joe thought he heard laughter at the other end. 

"Hello?" someone asked over the phone after a minute had gone by; Sora.

"Hey, Sora. It's me, Joe."

"Oh, right. Lingerie boy," Sora mumbled in a drawl that wasn't quite like her.

Actually, she just sounded very bored. 

"That's not very funny, Sora," Joe said in a voice that was almost yelling. He had almost lost control when she said the word "lingerie".

"Heh, 'kay. So whaddya want, Joey-boy?"

"Remember what I won last night? Y'know, the certificate for two people to eat at that famous ice cream parlor in downtown? Would you like to go? Today?"

Silence.

"Uh...just a second. I need to ask my mom," she said hesitantly.

Silence, again. About thirty seconds afterward, laughter. And Joe knew exactly what the laughter was all about. He could even hear the conversation going on between the two at the other end:

Sora's mom: What!? You mean him? Now? Are you kidding?

Sora: No, I'm not. He's serious about it.

Sora's mom: AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

Sora: Mom, he's going to hear you.

Sora's mom: So what? Let him...hee, hee.

Sora: Mom, stop. You're going to make me laugh, to-  


Sora's mom: AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

Sora: Mom, no...AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Sora's mom: Hee, hee...Well, he is kind of a cute boy...

Sora: Ew, mom. That's disgusting. He's young enough to be your own son.

Sora's mom: ...but what if underneath that exterior is a sex maniac.

Sora: Okay, that's going too far-

Sora's mom: Alright, alright. Go. Go. By all means, go.

Sora: Geez, whatever...

"Hello, Joe?" Sora asked.

"I'm here," Joe said in a weird way; he was embarrassed. 

"You've got someone aboard. So what time?" 

"Like, right now, maybe. I'll pick you up. Just wait for me, 'kay?"

"'Kay. Later, dude."

"Alright, bye."

Before Joe even had a chance to put the phone down, he heard, at the other end:

Sora's mom: But what if he really is a sex maniac?

Sora: MOM!

Click.

***


	2. Rescuing Sora

Almonds in Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream

by 

My sis, CrystalSablan aka Kristina, editor of my fics.

Ch. 2: Rescuing Sora

Before and after Joe rang the doorbell to Sora's apartment, he prayed to God that Mrs. Takenouchi wouldn't answer it because she'd probably break down laughing just like when he called. No such luck. She answered it, and, of course, broke down laughing.

"I'm sorry, Joe. Forgive me. It's just...hee, hee..."

"I know, I know...," he grumbled, exasperated.

Sora, then, came into the room.

"Geez, mom. What are you trying to do? Intimidate him?" she asked.

Mrs. Takenouchi laughed, and, when she had finished, stepped aside, without saying a word, as Sora turned her attention to Joe.

"Hey, Joe," she greeted him in that drawl she had earlier. 

"Hi, Sora. You ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go..." she said, walking towards him, still with that lazy register that made him want to strangle her. 

"Okay, well...WHOA!" Joe started because Sora had abruptly grabbed the front of his shirt, and jerked him toward the direction she was walking until she was practically dragging him down the corridor. 

Mrs. Takenouchi was beyond hysterics now. She was just standing outside the door laughing her head off.

"Sora, you crazy girl. You almost gave the guy a heart attack. You better come back at two. You hear me? Two," she called to her between uncontrollable giggles. After that, she couldn't say another word because she couldn't stop laughing.

"Yeah, whatever, mom," Sora hissed back at her; she was really pissed at her mom's behavior. In fact, she was so angry that, without thinking, she shoved Joe into the elevator with a ferocity that sent him to the floor.

When the doors closed, and all was still, Joe remarked, groaning from the pain of the result of the violent contact with the floor, "Geez, Sora. Never figured you for the aggressive type."

"Hmm?" she hummed curiously, turned, and faced him in such a way, it made her look as if she had never known he was there. She turned her head in the original direction she was staring, and then faintly replied, "Sorry."

Joe winced. Sora was acting very strange today.

The doors opened, and they walked out into the street, without saying anything to each other. After a few minutes had passed, Joe finally found the silence unbearable, and asked, "Why so quiet? Is something wrong?"

"Huh?" she started.

"Well?"

"Oh, nothing. Sorry. I was waiting for you to say something. That's all," she answered with a little zeal in her voice. 

"That's a nice sweater you're wearing. Dark green and all," he complimented her urbanely in order to keep the conversation going. 

"Thanks. I like what you're wearing, too. That black cardigan makes you look pretty sexy."

"Geez, Sora," he said vehemently.

"What?" she inquired hotly. "It's the truth." 

"Sorry. Nothing. It's just...no one ever says that to me, 'kay!?" he told her after he had calmed down.

"Yeah, alright," was her reply as she went back into that slow, and unconcerned voice that made him want to scream.

Masami's Famous Ice Cream Parlor was a comfortable place. It wasn't all bright colors, which Joe and Sora disliked. It was a nice, deep, dark shade of red. Like America's Farrell's.

One of the employees, a guy about 18-20 years old, approached them, and took them to their seats. 

"Here," Joe said as he handed the uniformed man the certificate.

He almost fell out of his seat when the guy asked, "Hey, wait a minute. Aren't you the kid from the news last night?"

Awkwardly, he turned to face him, and murmured, "Yeah, I'm the one."

"Yeah, I thought so. No, I knew...YO, EVERYONE. IT'S THE 'VICTORIA'S RUMORS' KID!" he yelled so suddenly that he made both Joe, and Sora jump.

"WHAT!? YOU MEAN, HERE?" could be heard all over the building.

Everybody rushed up to Joe to congratulate him, or ask him what the experience was like.

No. The nightmare was beginning again.

Sora watched as everyone swarmed around Joe. She began to feel a little sorry for him because she was embarrassed, too. She almost felt the same way he did at that moment.

_So this is what it's like for him_, she thought.

It took a damn near fifteen minutes just for the whole restaurant to calm down, and get back to their seats. When they did, Joe was back in the condition he was in that morning; guilty and depressed. To make things more worse, Sora was still in that annoying glum mood. He then hoped that he would be able to see the light of tomorrow.

The somber silence came back as the two waited for their order. Sora wasn't saying anything, again, and Joe grew concerned.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked in a worried tone.

"Huh? Oh, nothing, really. Everything's fine," she replied nervously; she was taken aback by the uneasiness in his voice. 

It was obvious now. Something was wrong.

"If there's something wrong, you can tell me."

"No, I'm fine. Really."

"How come you don't talk, then? Why did you come here if you were just going to be sitting there with your mouth shut the whole afternoon?" he demanded; he was trying to intimidate her.

"There's nothing to worry about," she responded melodramatically. She continued,

calmly this time, "Look. I'm here because I need to be away from my mom right now. I mean, I'm with her every day, and sometimes I need my space. You know what she just did today. She was humiliating me in front of you with her idiotic giggling. I mean, c'mon. That's not going to be the last time she does that to me. Because we're stuck together. Uh, do you understand what I just said?"

"No."

"Aah, screw it," she gave up. "Well, anyway, I'm also here because you and I haven't seen each other in a long time, and I just think it's important for us to see each other again. Okay?"

"Uh, al- AAH" he jumped because she suddenly socked him one of those friendly punches in the shoulder; he wasn't prepared for that.

"Alrighhhht! Glad you understand, Joey-boy," she broke in in a lively manner that gave him the creeps; he wasn't prepared for that, either, what with the way she had been talking to him just a few seconds ago.

The waiter, the same 18-20 year old guy, came up to them, then, and placed their food on the table. He turned to Joe, and asked in a palsy-walsy voice, "So, why did you go to that store, anyway?"

Sora looked at him, with an expression that read "Well, whaddya waitin' for? Answer him."

"Uh, I just did it to return a dress that fell in the sewers," he replied, diffidently, in words that he wasn't aiming to say.

The guy burst out laughing, and called to one of his comrades behind the ice cream parlor counter, "DID YOU HEAR THAT, ANDY?"

"LOUD AND CLEAR, RANDY."

"MY GOD. DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THIS KID."

He looked back at Joe, and said, "You're cool. You and I are gonna be buddies from now on. Y'want me to sock you in the shoulder?"

"Uh, n - AAH!" he jumped because Randy just socked him in the shoulder before he could finish saying "no".

By the time the desserts came, Joe had made friends out of most the employees, who, strangely, were all teenagers. And also with the customers, who went there every day. It was very weird. Masami's Famous Ice Cream Parlor seemed like no more than a bar with a bunch of barflies.

Also, to Joe's relief, Sora was herself again: the sweet, innocent, "all- politeness" girl that he came to know about two years ago, when she gave up that tomboyish act. But there was still that slow, and lazy tone in her voice. 

"So, Joe. Are you thinking about going back here, again?" she asked, after swallowing a mouthful of chocolate ice cream with almonds.

"Umm...I think so. I'm not too sure" was his answer, which was the truth.

"Can you take me back here, tonight? Please?" 

"Uh..."

"Yeah, do it, man. Please? For everyone," Randy requested, as he took a seat at their table. 

"YEAH, C'MON, JOE. DO WHAT THE GIRL SAYS" rang out all over the room. 

"Geez, have all of you been listening?" Joe asked.

"Of course. We're all pals here," said Mandy, another employee that Joe made friends with.

"Joe?"

"What is it, Sora?"

"Will you take me back here, tonight? Please, it's my mom -"

"Oh, see. The girl's tryin' to get away from her mom. Just do it, man," Randy interrupted.

"Oh, alright," Joe said in defeat.

"YEAH, WAY TO GO, RANDY!!!" most of the people cheered, as they ran up to him and gave him a five. Sora gave him a five, too; she was happy that she didn't have to stay home, and watch soap operas with her mom that night. They always did that at nighttime. And, boy, did she hate it.

When it was fifteen minutes before two, Joe didn't mind having to go back to the ice cream parlor at all that night. He liked all the attention he got from the staff, and the so-called "barflies". They thought he was some amazing hero. In a way, he was. He was rescuing Sora from her mom. Not that Mrs. Takenouchi was a bad person., you just didn't want to be with her at nighttime. 

As he, and Sora left, people were yelling, "WE LOVE YOU, JOE. YOU'RE OUR HERO. REMEMBER TO BE HERE AT EIGHT."

"DON'T WORRY. HE'LL BE BACK!" Sora called back for good measure.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..." everyone cheered as they threw almonds into the air like confetti. 

As the door closed behind them, Sora asked Joe, "So, whaddya think?"

"I think it's great that I'm going back. Especially with you."

"That's good."

"Yeah, but, geez, you forced me to," he said in an exasperated tone.

"Sorry," she apologized in a "please forgive me" way.

"So, you want to go back there at eight. Is that it?" Mrs. Takenouchi questioned Sora, and Joe, after they had told her their plan for the night.

"Yeah, that's right," the two of them answered.

"Well...okay. But be sure to come back at nine-thirty or ten. 'Kay?" she said warily.

"Okay."

"Alright, Joe. See you at eight," said Sora.

"Okay. Bye," he said, as he left the apartment.

He was only three inches away from the outside of Sora's front door, when he heard, from inside:

Sora's mom: AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Sora: Mom, that's not funny.

Sora's mom: Are you sure he's not a sex maniac?...Hee, hee...

Sora: MOM!

Sora's mom: ...because he just went out with you, today, and he...

Sora: SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP...

Sora's mom: ...wants you to come back with him, again, tonight. I think he _wants_ you.

Sora: AAUUURRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!! 

***


End file.
